Chapter Text
Since the beginning of time, there has been turmoil between those of magic and those without it. When it came to the days of Arthur, this tension and conflict came to a peak as the king made it his duty to slay any magical creature within his path. He believed that he was leading a path toward a safe future for humanity, but it ended up causing more pain than I believe he expected. Lives were lost on both sides. Troll kinds were going against one another as humanity was struggling to keep its grasp on the world. Wizards were hunted down and burned on pillars all while Gum-Gums were trying to gather an army large enough to destroy humanity for one and for all.
Yet, things changed. Arthur asked for the assistance of troll-kind in return for a powerful weapon and future peace. A weapon crafted by the almighty powerful wizard, Merlin, to protect them in their times of dire need. In return, they had to assist him in ending Gunmar, the leader of the Gum-Gums, at the Battle of Killahead. The war ended with Gunmar being trapped with the Gum-Gums in what was dubbed the Darklands and Arthur kept his promises to the trolls. Ever since then troll kind lived their lives in harmony with one another in the same plan as humans. It was just that they thrived in places called Troll Markets that were created with bridges as their gateways. Within these Troll Markets are heartstones that bring life to the trolls within the area. They made it so that a special item called a horngazel was the only way into their new homes and they kept themselves from humanity's eyes since.
Humanity themselves slowly started to lose their belief in the magical beings of the world. It took nearly a millennia for them to find their own place within the world, but they have. What a pleasureful world they created as well. The technology they created has always been one of their greatest accomplishments. But some of their accomplishments also led to some of their greatest disasters. Yet through it all, they made the world their oyster and made beautiful creations from it.
But for us wizards, it was hell.
As a halfling, I'm not old enough to understand the past trials of us magical wielders. I was told since I was young that when a wizard meets mastery of their craft, they stop aging, but as a halfling, it's not something that I'll get to experience. With this in mind, it also means that I'll never understand the far future struggles of my kind either, but what am I to do about it?
The past of wizards and witches were filled with bloodshed. We were hunted like prey in Salem. We were burned to crosses in Europe. One bad spell after a million helpful ones caused those to be marked as traitors and then slaughtered like cattle. But we endured these hardships. We rolled with the punches and took everything the world could throw in our direction. All to lead us to this moment.
I looked up to the school building with an annoyed look in my eye as I adjusted my bag's strap that went across my chest.
Okay. Ancestors, if you can hear me, why did you make it so that I would be tortured like this? Seriously. I would rather die than take one more algebra class.
"You alright there, Jimbo?" I felt a smile appear on my face as I looked over to my best friend.
Tobias Domzalski. He's a rather short teenager with red hair, a red sweater with a yellow undershirt, and a pair of khakis. He's been my friend since we were the age of five and we have always been there for one another. Through the highs and the lows, he has always been by my side.
Including when I accidentally used a levitation spell on a book before him. Which made Toby the proud and only member of my 'Knows I'm a Magic Person' club.
"Just mentally readying myself. No biggy." We started our way up towards the school building with ease as a small banter began between both of us. "I'm just thinking about how if I have one more failed attempt at understanding algebra, my mind might explode." This caused a laugh from my dear friend as he nudged me with his elbow.
"Awe come on. It's not that bad. You've dealt with worse." He gave me a knowing look as we reached the top of the school's staircase.
Killing goblins with fireball spells are a lot more simple compared to abstract algebra.
"Trust me. Math is my hell." I felt Toby nudge me again as we took a turn towards our lockers.
"Why not ask your favorite math genius then for some help?" He pointed out ahead of us and I looked up to see who he was talking about. There were three girls hanging around a locker together but the one that got my attention was the owner of it. Her short black hair was in its normal style with the array of multicolored hair clips that kept it in place. I couldn't see it from this angle, but I knew there was a blue streak she had dyed in it on her right side. Her dark navy blazer with a purple lining to it covered what could tell was her normal purple sweater as it was coupled with a dark navy skirt, leggings, and a pair of boots.
"Me? Asking Claire Nuñez for help without embarrassing myself? Do you know who you're talking to?" I watched as the said girl gave a smile to her friend Darci. "Besides. It's not like she knows I exist."
"Well, maybe if you talked to her you wouldn't have this problem." I glared over to Toby as we came to a stop at his locker. "Besides. Girls are into the weird and silent guys." He leaned in to whisper to me as he opened his locker. "Add in the whole supernatural thing you have going on and you have yourself a Twilight novel style of romance."
"Please never compare my love life to those horrific novels ever again."
"Awe come on! They were good!" I gave him a knowing look. "Okay, they were decent." I raised a single eyebrow at his response. "Okay, they were trash, happy now?" I gave him an easy smile as he closed his locker with the stuff he needed now switched out for our first class.
"Absolutely."
"You're an ass."
"You wouldn't like me any other way, now would you?" I chuckled as we made our way to my locker next.
"Yeah. You're right. If you were any other way I would have dropped you like a rock by now." I placed a hand over my heart as we took a right towards my locker.
"You hurt me in the worst ways, my friend." I had a mocking voice that I used as I gave him a wide smile.
"Good." Toby gave me a smile as we came to a stop before my locker. "Sometimes you deserve it." I opened my locker with ease before flinching at the sound of something being hit against the lockers across from us. I turned my head across the outside hallway to see a tall blonde boy towering over a brunette haired boy with glasses that was leaning up against the lockers. I felt a frown set into my face as Toby spoke what we were mutually thinking. "Come on. Can't Steve go one day without being a grade-A meathead?"
"I guess not." I sighed as I quickly switched out my things in my bag for my first hour. I turned my head as I shut my locker door to see another two kids joined in the fun. "Can't they give Eli a break? They do this every day to the poor guy."
"Do you think they care?" Toby looked as if he had the most brilliant idea ever as his voice went to a whisper. "Bro! Do you think they actually think? Like, without their muscles?" I chuckled lightly at my friend even though I still had a sad pit in my stomach for Eli.
He's a decent guy. Keeps to himself and follows the rules. Yeah, he's into some stuff that's a little out of the norm, but it's not something that warrants the bullying he endures. Yet no one does anything. They all watch in disgust but they never try to end the needless act.
But I can't really say anything since I do the same thing.
I looked over to Steve laughing as he pushed Eli down as he tried to stand up once more. I felt myself grit my teeth slightly as my left hand curled into a fist.
Someone has to do something. Wait.
I felt a smirk appear on my face as I looked down at my open right hand as the fist I had in the other uncurled itself.
Someone can.
I kept my hand to my side as I pointed over to Steve and swiped it to the right like you would on a phone screen.
Invisibilia palmis caedebat.
"OUCH!" I smiled as Steve rubbed the back of his neck as he looked around him frantically. "Who hit me?" I swiped my finger to the left once more.
Invisibilia palmis caedebat.
"HEY!" I heard Toby chuckle beside me as Steve yelled out once more. The blonde looked between his two friends with an angry look on his face. "Which one of you two are hitting me?"
"What are you talking about, bro?"
"Yeah, we haven't touched you, man." Steve eyed them for a minute as I flicked my finger up.
Invisibilia palmis caedebat.
"GOD DAMNIT!" He rubbed his head for a second as he pushed the kid I knew was named Seamus. "Quit hitting me!" Seamus raised his hands up as he stepped back from the outraged teen.
"I'm touching you!"
"Well someone is!"
"It's not me!" I smiled as I slipped my hands in my jeans and started walking towards our first hour with a giddy Toby by my side.
Invisible slaps. Work every time.
I held out a hand to my best friend which he instantly gave me a high-five with.
Wizards one. Steve zero.
"Okay, so why don't you do more of that stuff?" I smiled at Toby. I knew exactly what he was asking about as we peddled down the street on our respected bikes.
"More of what?" He gave me a slightly annoyed look.
"Your wizard stuff! Why not use it more often? You could make guys like Steve end their reign of terror without having to even make yourself known!" I shook my head as we turned the corner to start making our way past the bridge.
"To quote a fellow wizard I know, 'Magic isn't a permissible shortcut to hard work'." I tried my best to mimic an English accent as I spoke while lifting my right index finger in the air.
"Please never try talking like Douxie again." I chuckled as we took a left when we got off the bridge. "When do we have to meet him today?"
"Eleven. Like always." I laughed at Toby's groan. "Hey, you're the one that wanted to join in the adventures."
"I didn't think I would forfeit three hours of my normal sleep schedule." I rolled my eyes as I looked back toward him. I was going to make a witty remark, but I noticed a large mass under the bridge we crossed. I skid my bike to a stop as I squinted my eyes at the sight. "Bro! Warn a man when you're gonna stop like that! I almost ran into you."
"Do you see that?"
"See what?" I pointed out towards the bridge.
"That." Toby turned his head as I turned my bike towards the canal.
"What in the-? Please tell me we're not checking it out." I started my way down the canal's siding as Toby called out to me. "Well, I guess we're checking it out!" I rode down the side with ease as I sat up off the bike seat to steady myself as I went down the canal's straight away. Once I was in front of the massive piles of rock, I hopped off my bike and let it fall to the ground before walking slowly to the first giant piece. I reached out and touched the stone.
Engravings. Jagged lines about half an inch wide.
I leaned in closer to get a better look.
Dark grey. Like dust yet rough to the touch.
"Fiat lux." I held my hand close to the rock as it had a blue light glow from it. The addition of light made it all clear to me as I stood back up to my full height. "Prohibere." The light from my hand dimmed out as I brought my hand down to my side. "Troll remains." I looked up towards the bridge to see that it wasn't covering the large mound of shattered rock.
It's far from their safety in the shade. I wonder what caused its early demise.
The sound of Toby's groan caused me to turn my head and watch his bike fall to the ground as he slowly walked over to my side.
"So." Toby took a few breathes as it was obvious it took a little out of him to catch up after my sudden departure. "What's- What's up with these rocks?" He reached out and poked the one I was looked at with his right index finger.
"It's troll remains." He jumped back suddenly as he flicked his hand back and forth as if it was the most disgusting thing he had ever touched. I laughed lightly at my friend while I brought my phone out of my jeans pocket.
"What are you doing?" I opened up my contacts and pressed on a specific name without a second thought.
"Bringing in the expert." I brought my phone up to the right side of my head as he continued.
"Does that mean we get to have our adventure early tonight?" I smiled at my friend as my phone rang in my ear. After the second ring, a voice came through.
"Hey there Jim! What's the matter?"
"Hey Doux. Can you come down to the canal? There's something you might wanna see."
"What do you mean?"
"Troll remains."
"You had me at troll. On my way. Keep your arse there."
"You got it, Doux." With the sound of a click, I brought down my phone and pressed the shutter button to turn off the screen to slip it back into my jeans pocket. "Now to wait."
"Outstanding." Douxie moved around the large mound. "A warrior troll, most definitely. More than a millennia-old, from what I can tell. Definitely died from sunlight exposure and then falling from a high height. Wouldn't have been in large pieces like this if they haven't." I looked up to the bridge and looked over the beams that kept it stable.
"Could they have gotten pushed off up there for some reason?" I pointed up to the bridge as I spoke.
"Possibly. What do you think, Arch?" I looked over to Douxie to see his familiar sitting on his shoulder. The black cat looked down at the remains before looking back to the bridge himself.
"Very plausible. Is there any way we could find his chest or waist? Maybe that will tell us more." I nodded my head as I looked over the pieces.
The head is most definitely by Douxie so the feet must be to my left. The middle-.
I kneeled down beside the pile as I touched a cylinder-like piece.
Should be down here.
I lifted what I figured was an arm out of the way to see a small circular indent over what would have been the left side of the troll's chest. "Hey Doux!" I turned my head towards my right to see the wizard kneeling down by the troll's head. "I think I found what Archie wanted." The punk brought himself up and dusted off his grey jeans as he came over to me. I saw wide eyes appear on his face as he reached out and touched the stone.
"Oh, fuzz-buckets."
"You never say that when good things happen." I looked over to Toby that was now to my right. "Please tell me this thing wasn't important or something."
"This being was probably one of the most important beings we would have crossed paths with." Douxie looked up to us as he took his hand away from the stone. "I believe our friend here was the Trollhunter."
"A troll? Hunting trolls? Sounds a little weird, doesn't it?" I chuckled a little at Toby as Douxie stood up while putting his hands behind his back.
"Lesson time, kiddos." The Englishman had a wide smile on his face as Archie crossed to his left shoulder. "The Trollhunter is a troll that is chosen by a powerful artifact called the Amulet of Daylight. It was created by my master, Merlin. Each troll that takes on that role is then entrusted with protecting trolls and humankind from a species of trolls called Gum-Gums."
"Gum-Gums." I scratched my chin a little as I tried to remember what they were off the top of my head. "They are the one from the Battle of Killahead you were talking about, right?"
"Bingo! Nice memory, mate. You're getting a hand of your magical history well." I smiled as I brought myself up to my full height. "Gum-Gums are vicious beings. Known for being bringers of death to all those against them. Their desire for destruction and human blood is why Merlin created the amulet. It was destined to keep a balance between good and evil." Douxie reached out and gave a small smile to the pile of grey stone. "Seems our friend here was one of them. Sad that the amulet isn't here. It would be lovely to show the two of you, but I bet it already picked another troll."
"Wait." I looked down to where the troll was laying before looking up to the bridge. "Wouldn't his remains be in daylight until now? Wouldn't the daylight harm whatever troll that tried to grab it?" Douxie rubbed his chin as Archie's tail swayed back in forth behind him. It seemed even the familiar was confused by my questions.
"I have no clue mate. But if what you say is true, we might have a situation on our hands."
"What do you mean by that?"
"What I mean is that something else might have the amulet."
"And what does that mean for us?" Douxie gave a smirk as he brought his right wrist up to our attention.
"That means we're going amulet hunting."